Machine sortable mailing envelope

Abstract

An envelope suitable for machine sorting equipment, the envelope being adapted to be used twice, once on an outward trip, and once on a return trip when the envelope is returned to the original sender and having front and back panels and two closure flaps namely an outward trip closure flap and a return trip closure flap, the return trip closure flap being concealed within the envelope during the outward trip, and being capable of being extracted from the interior of the envelope to reseal the envelope for its return trip, the outward closure flap and part of the front panel being removed from the envelope prior to the return, and the front panel having a perforation line whereby both the outward trip closure flap and part of the front panel may be removed when it is torn off, to open the envelope. The return trip flap then folds out and covers the gap in the front panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A machine sortable mailing envelope of the type adapted to be used twice, once on an outward trip, and once on a return trip and adapted for easy machine handling and sorting on both trips, said envelope comprising; a front panel having an address area for carrying an address;   a back panel;   means joining said front and back panels along their bottom and side edges;   an outward trip closure panel joined to the upper edge of said front panel and adapted to be folded over the upper edge of said back panel and having bonding means;   a return trip closure panel joined to the upper edge of said back panel and folded within the envelope between the back and front panels and having bonding means;   a perforation line extending down either side of said front panel in a generally D-shaped pattern around the address area, defining an upper detachable portion which is removable from the remainder of said front panel, said perforation line being spaced inwardly from the side edges of said front panel to leave marginal strips of said front panel therealong along the bottom and both side edges, said outward trip closure panel being attached to said upper removable portion whereby upon tearing along said perforation line the whole of said outward trip closure panel and said upper central removable portion including said address area may be discarded, said return trip closure panel then being adapted to be withdrawn from the interior of the envelope, and folded over said marginal strips of said front panel and being bonded thereto for the return trip;   interior panel means attached to the interior of said upper central portion, and,   an extension flap on said interior panel means folded upwardly between said return trip closure panel and said back panel.   
     
     
       2. A machine sortable mailing envelope as claimed in claim 1 wherein said return trip closure panel means is slightly narrower than said front and back panel means to facilitate its manipulation. 
     
     
       3. A machine sortable mailing envelope as claimed in claim 1 including side edge closing strips on either side of said front panel connected thereto along respective fold lines, and bonding means thereon, for folding around the exterior of said back panel and bonding thereto, said bonding means on said outward and return closure panels, and on said side edge closing strips all being applied on the same face of the envelope blank. 
     
     
       4. A machine sortable mailing envelope as claimed in claim 1 including bonding means on said return trip closure panel located all around the free edges thereof. 
     
     
       5. A machine sortable mailing envelope as claimed in claim 1 wherein said return trip closure panel has a length and breadth sufficient to extend from said upper edge of said back panel over said front panel and cover said central removable portion thereof. 
     
     
       6. A machine sortable mailing envelope as claimed in claim 1 wherein said front panel defines a window opening in said upper detachable portion, wherein said interior panel means comprises a translucent panel covering the same. 
     
     
       7. A machine sortable mailing envelope as claimed in claim 6 wherein said extension flap is formed on said translucent panel and is folded upwardly between said return trip closure panel and said back panel, as aforesaid.